HIV/AIDS Epidemic is Seeing Its End in This Country

Namibia is on track to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic ahead of previously scheduled predictions.

“Namibia, once overwhelmed by a high HIV prevalence, has undergone a remarkable transformation in its fight against the epidemic,” says deputy regional director for Africa at Project HOPE, Uche Ralph Opara. “With continued focused effort, it is now possible to see a future in Namibia where children grow up free from the fear of an HIV/AIDS death sentence.”

HIV is one of the leading causes of death in Namibia, and an estimated 11.8 percent of adults currently live with HIV. Recent reports show that the country is showing significant progress and is expected to reach the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) targets before the 2030 deadline. The most recent counts show that 92 percent of people in Namibia know their HIV status, 99 percent of people living with HIV are on treatment, and 94 percent of people living with HIV have suppressed viral loads, meaning the virus is not detectable in their bodies. For Namibia to reach the UNAIDS’s targets, all three categories would need to reach 95 percent. Nonetheless, the positive numbers come ahead of schedule and provide hope for many.